Dental attendance at eight-year low

According to a new survey by Denplan, the number of Britons heading to the dentist has dropped markedly over the last year.

The proportion of people who say they attend every six months has dropped from three in five, to barely two in five people in just one year (59% to 43%), statistics show. Meanwhile the numbers of people who visit the dentist regularly are down to their lowest figure since 2001 (to 69%).

Of the people who don’t attend – the research shows that it’s actually the cost of the dental care which is stopping people attending. More than 4 in 10 Brits say they can’t afford to go (41%). Another serious problem is the inability to find or access an NHS dentist (25%).

Chief Dental Officer at Denplan, Roger Matthews, commented: “This is not good news and a clear indication that people are finding cost an issue in the current economic climate. This has serious implications, as poor oral health can impact general wellbeing and affect people’s ability to eat, sleep, work and socialise effectively. However, our own internal research indicates that those people lucky enough to have a corporate dental plan paid through their employer are far less likely to cancel or delay routine dental check-ups – giving dental plans one of the highest take-up rates of any wellness benefit.”

Source: The survey was conducted by YouGov Plc on behalf of Denplan Limited. Total sample size was 2025 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 20th – 23rd October 2009. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).